


Makeshift Chemistry

by worrisomeme



Series: We Like It Loud [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 06:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8133191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/worrisomeme/pseuds/worrisomeme
Summary: Steve Rogers is the designated starving artist for the local music scene, particularly his best friend Natasha's band The Avengers, so of course he goes to all their gigs. But tonight is different. Tonight they're debuting their new guitarist that Natasha has been talking up to Steve for over a month. Will this new guy really be as good (and as hot) as Nat is making him sound?





	

**Author's Note:**

> When I was writing this I was imagining The Avengers as an I See Stars type band and Guardians kind of like We Came As Romans. I was a big part of my local scene in high school and they were at the forefront of that so this whole thing is kind of based off what local shows were like for me (+ after parties I never had). 
> 
> That being said, I wrote this thing super quick. I have a ton of ideas for these punks so if you guys like it, I'm not done with them yet. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“You’re coming to the show tonight, right?” Nat says, popping a fry into her mouth.

“Of course,” Steve says, stealing a fry off her plate. “This is new guy’s first gig, right? And you’re headlining? You sure he can handle the pressure?” He’s only teasing, of course. If he can last over a month with them in practice he can handle headlining.

“Bucky,” she reminds him, pointing a fry at him before dragging it through her ketchup. “And yeah, but we’re not worried. He’s great. Total genius. And hot.” She pauses, then sing-songs, “Super into dudes.” She’s smirking as she looks at him expectantly.

“So you keep telling me,” he says, laughing.

“Yup!” She wiggles her eyebrows at him. “And I keep telling him how amazing you are.” She winks.

“Does this mean I’m going to have to do new posters for you guys?” he groans, changes the subject.

She guffaws. “Why’d you say it like that?”

“Because I’m a starving artist and I do all  your album art and posters for free,” he teases.

“Maybe Bucky can pay you with his dick,” Nat says evenly before sucking down the last of her smoothie. Steve practically chokes on his and she finally cracks and cracks up.

“The Guardians are playing tonight too, aren’t they?” Steve tries to change the subject again once he stops coughing, his cheeks still bright red. He set himself up for that one.

“You want Peter’s dick too?” Natasha teases with another wink. She knows they’re just friends, but that doesn’t stop her from giving him a hard time about it constantly. “Or is Rocket’s you’re after?”

Okay, okay, he set himself up for that too. “First, Peter is straight as an arrow… mostly.” He points a finger at her accusingly. “And second, even if I _was_ into Rocket, Groot would fuckin’ end me if I tried.”

Nat throws her head back in laughter. “Ain’t that the truth?” she says through her giggles.

Steve shakes his head and checks his watch. “I should get going,” he says and she nods.

“Yeah, me too,” she stretches and slaps some money down on the table as he gets up and gathers his things. “You gonna come early and be my roadie?” she asks.

“Nope, tonight you’re actually gonna have to carry your own gear,” he teases and throws some money onto the pile Nat left. “I’ve got that gallery collection I gotta put together. But I’ll be there, I promise.”

 

*

 

Steve slips on his tightest black skinny jeans, the ones with the holes in the knees that show off just a bit of his thigh tattoos. He puts on a tight v-neck that shows off his inked collar bones and even applies some eyeliner. So maybe he’s trying to impress this new guy Nat keeps raving about. Maybe. His final touch is combat boots and he’s out the door. He knows he’s going to be late, going to miss most of the bands. But hey, he’ll catch the Guardians and The Avengers and it’s not his fault if he got caught up in work, right?

When he gets to the bar The Guardians of the Galaxy are already playing. They’re a group of nerds and punks that joined the scene about the same time as Nat’s band, so they’re good friends. Natasha and the guys are getting their stuff together, they’re up next, so Steve makes his way to the bar.

“Yo Steve-o! Sup?” Darcy calls out as he climbs up onto a stool. “Lookin’ good.” She winks at him.

“Hey Darce,” he replies, winking back. “Not as good as you. Can I get a beer?”

“You can get whatever you want hot stuff,” she teases as she grabs him a bottle. This is The Avengers’ regular spot, even when they’re not actually playing that night, so she knows what he likes.

“You can flatter me all you want babe, I’m not joining your harem.” He chuckles as he takes the beer and takes a sip.

“They get indignant when you call them that,” she teases and he snorts. She feigns offense, being absolutely melodramatic. “How dare you judge me Rogers - bisexual king of Brooklyn! Your identity is just as fake as mine!”

He nearly spits out his beer. “Bisexual king of Brooklyn?” he asks, then mutters, “Hardly.”

“Punkass bisexual king of Brooklyn,” Darcy corrects herself matter-of-factly.

She skips away to help another patron before Steve can argue so instead he mumbles to his beer, “Brooklyn’s punkass king of being eternally single maybe,” as he turns to watch his friends play.

The Guardians are great as always and before he knows it they’re off the stage, Nat and the guys now setting up. He’s finishing off his beer when Rocket and Peter sandwich him between themselves.

“Hey hot stuff,” Peter jokes, signaling to Darcy behind his back to bring three more of whatever Steve’s drinking.

Man, he seriously made the right choice in outfit tonight. _Good job Steve_ , he silently congratulates himself.

“Hey hunk,” Steve teases back with a wink. He hops down from his stool to face them and, even in his boots, he’s even shorter on his feet. Rocket’s his height, though, so that’s a consolation. “You guys were great, as always.” Peter slips Darcy some money and blows her a kiss and they each take a bottle.

“You see the new guy yet?” Rocket asks, motioning toward the stage.

“Not before tonight,” Steve replies. He turns to look and once he does he can’t tear his eyes off the guy.

He had suspected Natasha was just talking Bucky up, trying to play match maker as she loves to do, but now he’s thinking she was holding out on him. Bucky’s fucking gorgeous - lean muscle and long hair pulled up in a messy bun, tattoos and a lip ring and storm cloud eyes that Steve wants to paint so fucking bad his fingers twitch a little.

“Earth to Steve!” Rocket’s practically in his face and Peter is absolutely cracking up.

Steve shakes his head and blinks, mumbling, “Huh? What?” How long was he staring? That’s embarrassing. He laughs and shoves his friend. “Get outta my face ya dirty punk.”

“Dude you are so thirsty,” Peter teases him, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

Steve snorts. “Thirsty? Are you for real? Are you seriously a teenage girl Peter? Does Gamora know she’s dating a teenage girl?”

Rocket doubles over laughing, nearly spilling his drink, and Peter scoffs. “Don’t judge me because I’m more hip than you.”

“Oh yeah, totally groovy soul brother,” he enunciates every syllable just to make his point. “I’ll let the cool cats know how hip you are.”

Peter shoves him and then they’re all laughing.

“What’d I miss?” Gamora asks, joining them with a brightly colored, undoubtedly fruity, drink of her own already in hand.

“Your boyfriend being an idiot,” Rocket teases.

Their attention shifts as Nat finally steps up to the mic. “How are you fuckers doing tonight?!”

The crowd cheers, including Steve and their friends at the bar. He downs the last half his beer in one go before clapping Rocket on the shoulder and motioning that he’s going in. Rocket gives him a knowing nod and with that he’s weaving his way through the throng to the stage.

“Give it up for my good friends in Guardians!” she shouts and the crowd goes nuts. “And can I hear it for our new guitarist? He’s one sexy mother fucker, isn’t he?”

At that, Bucky plays a couple of chords and lets them ring out, a shit-eating grin on his face. Steve’s at the front of the crowd by now, pressed right up against the stage, and he shakes his head at her, laughing as he claps.

“Alright, alright, I think you guys are ready,” she says, a playful smirk on her lips. She glances at Bucky, at Scott, at Gwen, and finally turns to Clint on the drums. They all exchange last glances and nods and then the music hits him like a shockwave as they dive into their first song.

Bucky has more than enough energy to keep up with Nat as she screams and sings and dances around stage in her schoolgirl skirt and thigh high socks. Steve can tell instantly why they picked him for the spot. It’s not easy to keep up with her on stage. She’s a monster.

They dive straight into a second song, and then a third, and when the music drops in the second chorus Nat has Bucky sing with her into the mic, their foreheads pressed together and they each have a hand tangled in the other’s hair. Steve commits the image to memory. He’s definitely drawing that later. Then the music kicks back in and they’re flying across the stage again. Steve’s in the pit by now, getting tossed around like a rag doll and loving it.

“Okay guys, you’ve been fucking great so far,” Nat says, panting and pushing sweaty hair out of her face, as the song ends. “But I think you can do better! You know what I want boys. Let’s make it happen!” She’s got a wicked grin, watching the room part like the Red Sea as the synth starts up. “Shit. I love you guys so much,” she coos, batting her eyelashes at the crowd. She crouches down right in the middle of the stage, looking back and forth between sides as Gwen loops the intro again, dragging out the tension.

The two sides of the room are grinning at one another, ready, practically holding their breath. Then the music kicks in and Nat’s screaming into the mic and suddenly they’re barreling at each other. Steve loves losing himself in the music, in the pit. It’s like therapy and he lives for nights spent like this.

The song ends and Nat’s talking again between roars of the crowd. “Alright guys, give it up one more time for the Guardians!” She nods to the other band, still settled at the bar. “And for All’s Quiet!” They’re scattered around the crowd. “And for Lonely, Lonely and Kamikaze!”

She paces around the stage for minute, waiting for everyone to settle down. “For those of you who don’t know us, we’ve got the smart and sexy Gwen Stacy on synth!” She makes a big, sweeping motion for each person as she introduces them and they each make a grand gesture in return. “On guitars we’ve got Scott Lang on bass and our new lead Bucky Barnes! We’ve got Clint Barton back there on drums and I’m Natasha Romanov and we are The Avengers! This is our last song so I want you guys to go hard as hell! And, fuck,” she huffs out a laugh, “we fuckin’ love you guys!”

They throw all they’ve got into this last one and Steve does too and it’s over way too fast.

He makes his way outside and finds all his friends finishing up loading their gear.

“Hey Steve!” Peter Parker waves him over. He’s Gwen’s boyfriend and a photographer so he’s around just as much as the guys from Guardians.

“Hey Pete,” Steve replies as he joins them.

“Stevie!” Natasha giggles, still buzzing with adrenaline, and pulls him into a tight hug. “I was getting worried for a minute there.”

“Hey, do I ever miss a show?” he laughs, hugging her back and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “You were brilliant, as always.”

She pulls back and gestures wildly for Bucky to come over. “Buck! C’mere!” she shouts, then grins a wolf grin at Steve. “What did you think of our newest member here?”

“Fuckin’ awesome,” Steve says, holding his hand out to shake. He’s so gorgeous he gets butterflies in his stomach just looking at him. “You are, like, the missing link or something. Total genius. I’m Steve.”

“Bucky. Nice to meet you man,” he says as they shake. “You’re the one who does all the art, right? Talk about a fuckin’ genius.” He laughs.

Steve blushes just a little, but plays it cool. “Thanks, it means a lot.”

“You coming to the party?” Clint asks, slinging an arm around Nat’s waist.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he says with a nod.

“Well what the fuck are we standing around here for then?” Scott asks, laughing as he hooks an arm around Steve’s shoulders. “You coming with us or them?” he asks, nodding toward the other band.

“Well, Pete’s going with you guys, obviously, so they’ve got the empty seat,” Steve says. “I’ll make sure we stop for more booze.”

“Smart man!” Clint salutes him, then they’re all piling into vans.

 

*

 

They’re all carrying a bottle or two as they let themselves into the apartment. Music is playing quietly and everyone is chatting, coming down from the thrill of a show. They each grab a beer or make themselves a drink before settling themselves onto the various couches and chairs and blankets piled on the floor.

Steve feels bold and plops himself into Bucky’s lap before his stupid brain can stop him.

“Hey there,” Bucky says, grinning.

See? This was totally a good idea.

“Hey,” Steve practically purrs, sipping his drink and slipping an arm around Bucky’s shoulders. He feels an arm wrap around his waist and his hand rests hand on his hip. Natasha winks at him.

“So when are you gonna get that new art to me?” she asks, teasing.

“Maybe when I receive proper payment,” he shoots back, not missing a beat.

She cackles and Clint shoots her a questioning look. “What did I miss? We’re paying him now?” he asks, looking at Steve now for an answer. Natasha only laughs harder and Steve’s laughing now too, blushing a little as he shakes his head.

“No, I was kidding. Inside joke. Don’t worry, I’m still doing your slave labor,” he teases.

“We’d pay you Stevie!” Rocket calls from where he’s sprawled on his boyfriend’s lap. “Come to the dark side!”

Steve’s eyebrows shoot toward his hairline and he’s still laughing. “Yeah? I might just have to take you up on that,” he jokes. Playfully, he makes a move to get up from Bucky’s lap but Bucky’s arms wrap around his waist and he tugs him back down.

“Oh no you don’t,” he laughs. “You’re ours.”

Giggling, Steve turns to face him. “Oh am I now? You own me?” he challenges, choosing his words carefully. They’re faces are mere inches apart and he’s staring right into those winter sky eyes.

“Hell yeah,” Bucky says, his tongue flicking out to wet his lips.

Steve’s heart is racing and his breathing is a little fast. They just stare for a moment, daring the other to move first, before Steve thinks _fuck it_ and crushes their lips together. He vaguely hears Natasha let out a loud, “Yes!” from her spot on the couch and Steve knows she threw a victorious fist in the air.

He laughs into the kiss imaging it and that’s what breaks it. They’re both grinning as they pull back and Steve bites his lip a little.

“Natasha strikes again,” Scott teases as he makes his way to the kitchen for another drink.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys liked it! Like I said, I definitely have more ideas for this universe so I'm sure I'll post more at some point. You can find me ((and suggest things you wanna see these cuties do in future stories)) on [[tumblr](http://worrisomeme.tumblr.com)]
> 
> Oh! Also, the other band's names are All's Quiet on the Western Front (yeah, like the book, based on an actual band I saw a lot but didn't get huge like the other guys), Lonely, Lonely, and Kamikaze Love.
> 
> As always, comments, kudos, etc etc are my lifeblood!


End file.
